Apparatus for transporting mechanical pieces

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting elongated mechanical pieces, in particular connecting rods (B), comprising supporting bars (15, 15') for supporting the larger ends (T) of the connecting rods (B), the latter being arranged side by side along a longitudinal feed direction, and a displacement means (20-38) for the step by step feed of the connecting rods (B). In order to prevent undesired displacements that could cause the pieces (B) to fall from the supporting bars (15, 15'), the latter have sawtooth profile resting surfaces (16, 16') for constraining the position of the big ends (T) of the connecting rods (B) on the bars (15, 15'). Lateral displacements of the connecting rods (B) are prevented by a Vee guide surface for the resting of the small ends (P) of the connecting rods (B).

We claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for transporting elongated mechanical pieces having one larger end (T), in particular for transporting connecting rods (B) along at least a longitudinal feeding direction, comprising a support structure (11,12,12'),   a pair of upper supporting bars (15,15') coupled to the support structure (11,12,12'), the supporting bars being mutually parallel and defining upper resting surfaces (16,16'), for supporting the larger ends (T) of the mechanical pieces (B),   lower longitudinal guiding elements (17,17') coupled to the support structure (11,12,12') and arranged between the upper bars (15,15') and beneath them, for defining constraint surfaces (19) for cooperating along transversal directions with second end portions (P) of the mechanical pieces (B),   a pair of feeding bars (22,22'), parallel to the supporting bars (15,15'), for performing cyclic displacements with respect to the support structure (11,12,12') and cooperating with the mechanical pieces (B), and   at least one motor (24) and mechanical transmission elements (25-38) coupled to the feeding bars (22,22') for controlling said cyclic displacements, characterized in that said lower longitudinal guiding elements (17,17') define a lower resting surface (19) with a substantially Vee cross-section, that defines the constraint surfaces (19) and said upper resting surfaces (16,16') define mechanical references for determining the longitudinal position of the larger ends (T) of the pieces (B) on the upper supporting bars (15,15').   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said resting surfaces (16,16') have a substantially sawtooth profile for defining said mechanical references. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said lower longitudinal guiding elements comprise at least a pair of mutually sloping longitudinal bars (17,17') for defining the lower resting surface (19) with Vee cross-section. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the feeding bars. (22,22') define upper feeding surfaces (23,23') for cooperating with the mechanical pieces (B) in correspondence with said larger ends (T). 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said at least one motor (24) and mechanical transmission elements (25-38) are adapted to control and transmit to the feeding bars (22,22') a translation displacement along a substantially circular trajectory. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the feeding bars (22,22') are arranged between the upper supporting bars (15,15'). 
     
     
       7. Apparatus for transporting connecting rods (B) along a plurality of horizontal and parallel feeding paths, the connecting rods including big ends (T) and small ends (P) and defining a longitudinal geometric axis, comprising: a support structure (11,12,12');   a plurality of pairs of horizontal and parallel supporting bars (15,15') fixed to the support structure (11,12,12') and defining mechanical references (16,16') for supporting aid big ends (T) and preventing the connecting rods (B) from rotating about their geometric axes;   a plurality of guiding bars (17,17'), each arranged below and between, and parallel to, a corresponding pair of said supporting bars (15,15'), the guiding bars defining inclined sides (19) for cooperating with and providing transversal constraint to said small ends (P), the guiding bars being arranged at a distance, along a vertical direction, from the corresponding supporting bars, such that the connecting rods (B) being supported by corresponding supporting bars and guiding bars are inclined to said vertical direction;   a plurality of mutually coupled pairs of horizontal feeding bars (22,22') parallel to the supporting bars (15,15') and movable with respect to said support structure (11,12,12'), for sequentially and step by step lifting the connecting rods (B) from said supporting bars, feeding them along said paths, and place them again onto the supporting bars; and   driving devices arranged between the support structure (11,12,12') and the feeding bars (22,22') and including a motor (24), at least one rotating shaft (25) coupled to the motor, and transmission devices coupled to said at least one shaft, the transmission devices including eccentric elements (32) rotating with said at least one shaft and non-rotating connection elements (35) coupled to said eccentric elements and feeding bars.   
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said supporting bars (15,15') have sawtooth profiles defining said mechanical references (16,16') and said guiding-bars (17,17') have a Vee cross-section for defining said inclined sides (19), and wherein each pair of said feeding bars (22,22') is arranged, and movable by said driving devices (24,25,32,35), between a corresponding pair of supporting bars (15,15'). 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said driving devices include transversal members (20,20') for fixing the feeding bars (22,22') to each other and rotatable bearings (38) arranged between said eccentric elements (2) and non-rotating elements (35), for transforming rotational displacements of said at least one rotating shaft (25) into translation displacements of said feeding bars along a substantially circular trajectory.